Entombed

All of a sudden, once Jesus has died, a quiet descends upon the scene. We no longer hear only of the false, the cowardly and the violent, but of the faithful and true, the courageous and the gentle.

“Truly this man was God’s Son!” (Mk 15:39)

What did the centurion see as he watched Jesus breathe his last that brought such words to his lips? What do we see in the ravaged face and broken body of the Crucified?

“There were also women looking on from a distance; …and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.” (Mk 15:40, 41)

Now we realize that there were many women with him when he died – powerless, yes, but present. They look on, they watch, they see; they adore him with their eyes. This is our role, too. When action is brought to an end, we look deeply at our world and see God, bleeding. We adore with our eyes.

“Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and taking down the body, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock.” (Mk 15:46)

The hands that take down his body from the cross are gentler than those that put him up there. These hands tenderly wrap him in linen and lay him to rest. We do too, on this day of preparation when all has become quiet and full of expectation.

"Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses watched where he was laid." (Mk 15:47)

The women watch so that they might return to do his body fuller honor. But Jesus was already anointed for burial back in Bethany; their second anointing will not be needed.